LMAX Exchange and Qingdao back at sea racing

LMAX Exchange and Qingdao have started Race 2 in the Clipper Round The World Race 2015, after both yachts required repairs.

LMAX Exchange made an early lead in the race. Credit: LMAX Exchange Credit: LMAX Exchange

LMAX Exchange and Qingdao started Race 2, the Stormhoek Race to the Cape of Storms, in a Le Mans start off the Brazilian coast at 0510 on Sunday (10 October), following successful completion of repairs to both yachts.

The two teams will be racing to Cape Town, South Africa, on an elapsed time basis. The ten other boats in the fleet departed Rio on Wednesday at the scheduled start of Race 2.

LMAX Exchange and Qingdao’s start position was calculated to be exactly the same distance as the rest of the fleet and they will sail 3387 nautical miles.

Both boats had their rudders repaired and refitted after LMAX Exchange grounded on a sandy outcrop during delivery to a marina for application of hull branding last week. Qingdao got into difficulties while going to assist and got a line round her propeller.

Olivier Cardin, skipper of LMAX Exchange, said prior to departing for Race 2: “We are excited to get back to racing after this week.

“We are leaving three days after the rest of the fleet so there’s some real motivation to do well. The crew always want to trim so I’m pretty confident that we’re going to record a good time across to Cape Town.”

Igor Gotlibovych, skipper of Qingdao, added: “Race 2 will be very different from the last race. We can expect some real Southern Ocean conditions at times, we will be following the track of a Southern Atlantic depression all the way to Cape Town hopefully.

“As it transitions between the depressions it can be tricky with very variable conditions.

“The fact we’re leaving the same time as LMAX Exchange will give us that extra push but at the same time we are aware that we cannot control the weather that the other boats which are ahead of us are experiencing so we will focus initially on LMAX Exchange.”

LMAX Exchange and Qingdao currently sit in first and third positions in the overall standings and are motivated to build on their strong start to this race series.

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